Prix Du Jockey Club: Christopher Head bidding to continue family dynasty in French Derby with Big Rock | Racing News

Christopher Head will likely be wanting so as to add to his household’s unbelievable report in French Classics this weekend as he hunts down a exceptional Derby and Oaks double in simply his fifth season as a coach.

The son of legendary coach Freddy Head and nephew of Criquette is the fifth era of a exceptional racing dynasty based mostly in Chantilly, a reputation that has educated a number of Arc winners, French Basic victories and loved numerous Group One successes.

It might be straightforward for Christopher to take care of the established order, coaching out of the identical yard and little doubt having fun with loads of success on the identical time.

However having rented packing containers from Pascal Bary initially, Head is eager to make personal impression and has performed simply that, touchdown a primary Group One with Blue Rose Cen within the Prix Marcel Boussac in 2022.

Since then, the three-year-old filly has received the French 1000 Guineas and is favorite for the French Oaks, whereas Massive Rock appears to have a number one probability within the French Derby this weekend.

“It brings a bonus as a result of persons are assured with the identify so that they have belief,” Head completely instructed Sky Sports activities Racing. “You want that belief with the homeowners to get good horses at your steady.

“I have been at this steady for 12 years, studying from my father and now coaching for 4 years. This has been a spot of many champions so I’m attempting to get extra high quality out of these packing containers.

“My father has been my fundamental type of inspiration from the very starting. My grandfather was the builder of the household. All of the heritage now we have now when it comes to information and keenness is from him. I owe him every little thing.”

With a wealthy household custom comes loads of duty and little doubt Group winners could have been anticipated nearly instantly.

And with that comes a degree of strain that Head seems to thrive on, with an excellent strike fee and his justifiable share of stars within the yard forward of the Prix du Jockey Membership, reside on Sky Sports activities Racing.

“It’s kind of of each. In fact, there may be strain as a result of persons are ready for the outcomes and they should come however we have been fortunate sufficient to have good horses.

“An important factor is to show it to myself. It is a job I work on daily – you by no means cease. We might want to do this yearly now – the strain continues to be on!

“Blue Rose Cen is actually a kind of sensible sorts and I simply can’t wait to see what step she takes subsequent.

“She has been very skilled the entire time but it surely was an important problem for us to make her right into a star three-year-old.

“We have proved now we will do it and I’ve the sensation we will do it once more.”

Whereas Blue Rose Cen was a two-year-old sensation and at all times prone to be on the fore in each the French 1000 Guineas and Oaks, Massive Rock got here from the Mathieu Brasme yard having didn’t win in three begins.

However he is thrived since transferring to the Head steady in February, profitable 4 straight together with a duo of Group Three heats, rocketing to the highest of the French Derby market in consequence.

“Massive Rock is unbelievable and has been working exhausting right here,” he added. “I actually have the sensation he’s enhancing with each race.

“Like all horses, he has a cruising pace however his is round 61kmh, which is fairly wonderful. He can maintain that up for a complete race after which go even additional. I’ve by no means educated a horse like that in my life.

“He is exhausting the others due to that pace.”

‘Christopher is an unbelievable skilled’

Common jockey Aurelien Lemaitre has thrived alongside Christopher Head, and can take the stellar rides on each Massive Rock on Sunday and Blue Rose Cen later this month.

And the rider might hardly have been extra effusive in praising the Chantilly-based handler forward of an enormous month for the pair.

“Christopher is an unbelievable skilled,” Lemaitre added. “We climbed the ladder collectively and when he set out coaching, he requested me if I might assist him out, which I did with nice pleasure. Now we work collectively, hand in hand.

“He’s a visionary, not like once I knew him in his youthful days. He sees issues in a different way from others and it really works effectively for him.

“It is troublesome to search out Basic horses and he has succeeded in doing so with the Blue Rose Cen. All credit score to Christopher as a result of he educated the filly when she was younger.

“Ranging from scratch, at all times evolving progressively and sustaining that high quality at three years outdated, it is unbelievable to do this, particularly for somebody like him with so little expertise.”

Watch the French Derby on Sky Sports activities Racing on Sunday 4 June.